Exhaust attachment for steam-engines



(No Model.)

E. M. THOMAS.

EXHAUST ATTACHMENT EOE STEAM ENGINES.

N0.319,'759. Patented June 9, 1885.

N. Pneus. Phmumagnpher. wumn NITED? STATES 'PATENT OFFICE.

EDMUNDM. THOMAS, on MILWAUKEE, wisconsin.

EXHAUST ATTACHMENT FOR STEAMk-ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of'Letters Patent No. 319,759, dated June 9, 188,5.

y Application filed August s, 1884. (No model.) I

To all whom t may concern,.-

Beit known that I, EDMUNDv M. THOMAS, of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in vExhaust Attachments for Steam-Engines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enableothers skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates particularly to ,locomotive steam-engines; and it consists, essentially, of two automatic exhaust-valves attached to the under side of the steam-cylin ders, near each end of the same, and each connected by an exhaust-pipe with a condensingcoil in the tender-tank, and of two passages connected with the exhaust-port of the cylinder, one discharging into the Smoke-stack in the .usual way, and the other leading into the condensing-coil inthe tender-tank, and a slide- ,valve controlling and regulating the passage Lof steam through the said passages.

The objects of my invention are, first, means `for accurately controlling the draft through the furnace; second, the saving of fuel; third, to more effectually relieve the piston of retarding pressure in the end of the cylinder open tor exhaust, and, fourth, to prevent the disagreeable hissing caused by the opening of the ordinary blow-off cocks.

In the accompanying drawings likeletters refer to the same parts in each figure.

Figure l represents a longitudinal vertical medial section of a cylinder and steam-chest and of the two exhaust-valves attached to the lower side of the cylinder. Fig. 2 is a like view, on a greatly-enlarged scale, of the two exhaust-valves in the lower side of the cylinder; and Fig. 3 is a horizontal medial section of a portion of the exhaust-passages leading from'the upper part of the cylinder, showing the valve by which the passage of steam through the said passages is regulated and controlled.

A represents a locomotive-cylinder of the usual construction, provided with the piston B and the piston-rod R.

C is the ordinary steam-chest, located at the top of the cylinder, and provided with the slide-valve D, controlling the inductionand eduction of steam through the passages s s', which lead from the said steam-chest vC to op# posite ends of the cylinder A. Y s

u is the exhaust-passage, located between the passages s s', and connected with the branching passages or pipes MandII, the rst of which terminates under the petticoat E in the smoke-stack,.and the second leads back into the condensing-coil FF in the tender-tank. An ordinary slide-valve, N,fof sufficient size when in its middle or neutral position to close about `one-half of each of the ports o o', opening into pipes M and H, regulates the flow of steam into 'the` smoke-stack or tendertank. It is provided with the valverod T, which is connected with the cab ofthe locomotive, so as to be readily. operated by the engineer, who can partially or entirely close or open either of the ports o o, `thus diverting the exhaust-steam, as desired/into the smoke-stack, if greater draft is needed, or into the condensing-coil F, if less draft is required. r

To ydraw off the water which might kcollect in pipe H by the condensation of the steam before it reaches the coil F, I provide a cock,

, b, located at the lowest point in said pipe.

G G are automatic exhaust-valves inserted into the lower side of cylinder A, and opening from the same upon opposite sides of the piston B.

I I are the vvalves proper, provided with stems L L, slotted near their upper ends and threaded below to engage with threaded perforations in the valve-heads K K, which close the valve-chambers below when they are open at the top into the cylinder. Just below the seats formed in the valve-cases for said valveheads K annular grooves are cut into the cases, and into these grooves are inserted rubber or flexible rings a a, perforated to receive and t closely about the stems L L, thereby preventing the escape of steam from the lower ends of the valves when they arefopen below, or the heads K K are not closed upon their seats. The valves G .G are connected by a small pipe, n, which opens into the same directly against the slotted portions of the valvestems L L, thus permitting the free egress of IOO steam through said slotted stems into said pipe n. From the rea'r valve G a pipe, m, leads into pipe H, thence into the condensing-coil F F in the tender. A valve, c, located in the pipe m near its junction with pipe H, prevents backflow into the valves G G.

Instead ofthe arrangement just described, I may extend the pipe 'm past each valve G,

which may be connected therewith by a small offset pipe provided with a valve to prevent backtlow. With this arrangement the valve c is not necessary, 4

d d are bell-crank levers, pivoted at their upper ends to ears projecting from the cases of valves G, and forked at their lower ends, which embrace the pins f f, secured in and projecting from the lower ends of the valve.-

' stems L L. .A rod or bar, e, pivoted at each end to said bell-crank levers d d, connects them,

so that the valves I I are compelled to open and close alternately. (See Figs. 1 and 2.)

My device operates as follows: When the valve D and piston B are in the position shown in Fig. 1, steam will enter the cylinder from. the steam-chest C through the passage s, and the pressure produced thereby, acting upon the valve I inthat end of the cylinder, closes the from the lower end of the valve-case.

same,and at the same time, acting through the bell-crank levers dd and their connecting-rod Lc,opens the valve I at the other end of the cyll from the opposite valve through the connect,

y ing-pipe n.

In this way the heat which is usually discharged into the air and wasted through the blow-olf cocks is conducted into the tank which supplies the boiler, and isI there utilized for raising the `temperature of the water to be converted into steam. By,` closing the port o with valve N all the eX-` `haast-steam escaping through -the exhaustpassage u will be conducted oli' by pipe H into the condensing-coil, where it will in like manner be utilized for heating the water in the tank. When great draft is desired through the furnace, the valve N is shifted to open the port o and close the port o', when the steam will escape through petticoat E into the smokestack.

Any desired degree of draft may be produced by partially opening and closing the ports o o.

The exhaust-valves G G may be applied with good eifect to stationary engines as well as to locomotives;'but the valve N, with its connections, is more particularly applicable to locomotives.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1.` The combination, with the cylinder A and piston B,of the automatic exhaust-valves G G, attached to the ends of the cylinder A, the bell-crank levers d d, and thel connectingrod e, whereby the closing of one valve causes the opening of the other, the condensing-coil F, and a pipe or pipes connecting said valves G with said coil F, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination, with the cylinder A and piston B,of the double-headed valves I KIK, the bell-crank levers d d, the connecting-rod e, and a pipe leading out of the casesof said EDMUN D M. THOMAS.

Witnesses:

C HAs. L. Goss, THos. S. GRAY. 

